It’s time to choose your next sales leader. What type of person should you hire? If you want your company to grow, it’s critical you find the individual with the right skillset. Hire the wrong person and you could damage your business for a long time.
Here are eight traits of top sales leaders that should be assessed during the hiring process:
- Coaching/Mentoring Focus.The primary responsibility of any manager is to make their direct reports better – to understand each individual’s strengths and weaknesses and help get the most out of their abilities. A focus on teaching and educating is critical to growth.
- Selflessness. Sales leaders need to be focused on the success of their team, not themselves. To be an effective leader, you will sometimes need to take actions that don’t necessarily benefit you, and you have to be willing to take that action. If a candidate is only focused on their own self interests, they are the wrong person for the role.
- Impeccable Integrity. Nothing can cause more damage to an organization than a sales leader with a bad reputation. Customers, partners, and employees know when someone with questionable ethics is hired, and it becomes a negative reflection on the company. Do your background checks to ensure you’re hiring someone with strong character.
- Great Recruiters. Good sales leaders are able to recruit and retain the best talent in the market. Businesses can’t grow without bringing in new hires – recruiting is a key skill of the best leaders. This ability is directly tied to the person’s reputation – top performers are not going to work for a bad or unethical manager, regardless of the company.
- Strategic Vision. Sales leadership often requires focus on the tactical – hitting that quarterly quota – but it also requires attention on longer term strategy. Where is the market going in 12-18 months? How do the company’s offerings align to the changing needs of customers? What moves are required to ensure the business continues to grow for years to come? Strategic vision is required to drive long-term success.
- Strong Work Ethic. The work ethic of the manager sets the tone for the team. If a manager isn’t willing to put in 100% effort, the team will not feel compelled to put in their maximum effort either. Leaders must set the example.
- Seeks Diversity and Inclusion. I recently saw a tech sales team post pictures from their QBR on LinkedIn. Of the 28 individuals in the picture, 26 were men. How does this reflect on the organization and its culture? This has to end. We need to create environments that promote diversity and inclusion of all.
- Motivate Without Fear. “We’re adding a little something to this month’s sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is, you’re fired.” While still utilized by some, these tactics are outdated. The carrot is mightier than the stick, and encouragement is more powerful than threats.
New sales leaders set the course for a company for many quarters. Make sure you’re hiring people that will make your business better for the long term.
